Combination saliva ejector and cotton roll holder



y 29, 1958 E. D. BOBER 2,844,873

COMBINATION SALIVA EJECTOR AND COTTON ROLL HOLDER Filed Deb. 27, 1955 INVENTOR EDWARD D. BOBER WWW ATTORNEYS United States Patent COMBINATION SALIVA EJECTOR AND COTTON ROLL HOLDER Edward D. Bober, Detroit, Mich.

Application December 27, 1955, Serial No. 555,464

3 Claims. (Cl. 3233) The present invention relates to an improved device for use by dentists in operations requiring the removal of saliva from the patients mouth in order to insure that the tooth area being operated on is not contaminated. To my knowledge this has heretofore been accomplished by the use of an aspirator tube or like suction implement, and cotton gauze rolls or absorbent swabs have also been utilized to occupy the space at the buccal or lingual aspect of the tooth operated on.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved aspirator type device having associated therewith means to firmly hold a swab or swabs in place adjacent the tooth surface in the jaw of the patient. The device includes a novel aspirator tube structure in the form of elongated buccal and lingual loops mounted in fixed relation to one another and provided with suction aspiration openings at predetermined points along the length of the tubing. The location of these points is such as to best afford an intake opening for the saliva to be ejected, and so as to drain saliva from both the sublingual and submaxillary glands, as Well from the parotid gland. A dual drainage feature of this character is novel with me, particularly in a roll holder device of the sort shown.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved device of the foregoing character, in which each of the buccal and lingual tubing loops has associated therewith an elongated sharpened impaling pin on which a length of cotton gauze roll may be held, preferably immediately beneath the longitudinal center of each loop. This provides a very compact arrangement, with the gauze roll in an optimum position to saturate with saliva, yet out of the way of the'suction openings of the respective loops.

In accordance with another object of the invention, the device is provided with an improved adjustable clamp, positionable snugly against the patients lower jaw bone, and thus firmly holding the device against accidental displacement without discomfort to the patient. A clamping arrangement of this sort is easily and quickly loosened by the dentist when the device has served its purpose and is to be removed. The cotton gauze rolls are automatically removed coincident with the removal and release of the device proper.

In accordance with the invention, the saliva intake apertures are placed on therespective loops of the device in such a way that they cannot be engaged and stopped off by the adjacent cheek and tongue of the patient. To this end, the inner or lingual loop has an aperture formed adjacent the rear or inner end of its elongated shape, on the outer or buccal branch or reach of its loop form, which aperture opens upwardly and somewhat inwardly of the loop form; and a further aperture adjacent its forward or inner portion which is formed on its inner or lingual branch or reach, this aperture also opening upwardly and somewhat in the lingual direction. The other loop, i. e. the buccal loop is provided with a single aperture adjacent the rear or inner extremity of its elongated outline, which aperture is placed on the lingual branch or reach of the loop and, like the other apertures, opens generally upwardly and in the lingual direction. Thus the single aperture on the buccal aspect loop faces away from the patients cheek, while the two apertures of the lingual aspect loop each face away from the subjacent tongue of the patient.

In accordance with another object of the invention, the

impaled absorbent rolls along the opposed buccal and lingual aspect zones of the lower jaw, directly adjacent either side of the gum. The frame element in question carries a depending projection which lies externally along the forward jaw; and this extension or projection has ratchet teeth formed thereon which areadjustably engaged by a jaw contacting clamp. The clamp is taken up against the exterior surface of the patients jaw with speed and ease, in which position it snugly and comfortably mounts the device for use. The clamp is released with equal speed and ease to enable the device to be withdrawn when the dental operation is completed.

The foregoing as well as other objects will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved device, as operatively applied to a flexible aspirator tube;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the device as operatively applied on the lower jaw of a patients mouth;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the device as viewed from the top of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in vertical section along line 44 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section on line 55 of Fig. 2, further illustrating in solid and dotted lines the features and operation of the releasable clamp component of the device.

The combined saliva ejector and cotton roll holder of the invention, generally designated 10, and best illustrated in Fig. l of the drawings, comprises a rig-id sheet metal frame or supporting member 11 which is bent to provide an upwardly extending bight portion 12 adjacent a lingual, rearwardly extending extremity of the member '11 which member, as viewed in plan, is roughly U-shaped in outline. It is to be understood that a dentist will be supplied with two of the devices 10 which are similar, in fact are mirror images in that one (such as device 10 actually shown) is for use in the left hand lower jaw cavity, whereas the other will "be conformed to the contour of the right hand lower jaw cavity. The upwardly extending bight 12 is intended to fit over the forward lower lip and incisors of the patient, and to this end is of sufficient width to aiford the desired accommodation. The frame or support member 11 is brought laterally and horizontally in the buccal direction at 13, from the forward lower extremity of bight 1 2 in an arc whose curvature will be in conformity with the buccal aspect of the lower incisors, bicus-pids and molars, this curved portion 13 encircling the gums in use on the buccal aspect.

A laterally outwardly projecting extension or shoulder 14 is formed on the arcuate portion 11 adjacent its rear or inner extremity, the length of this extension being sufficient to bring it outwardly beyond the lower left hand lip when the device 10 is in place. The extension 14 is provided with adownwardly and inwardly shaped clamp leg 15, which atits lower limit is turned degrees outwardly at 16 to provide a stop foot. The reference nu- P'atented July 29, 1958 meral 17 designates a special jaw engaging clamp which is mildly curved and widened in contour at 18 so as to fit against the rounded lower surface of the patients jaw as the clamp 17 is supported on clamp leg 15. The clamp 17 has an outside area 19, somewhat narrower than the jaw portion 18 and fiat, which area is provided with a locking slot 20 somewhat wider and longer than the cross sectional contour of the leg 15.

The leg 15 is provided with a plurality of uniformly milled ratchet teeth or holding formations 21, and the arrangement is such that when the clamp 17 is in its operative, downwardly inclined position shown in Fig. of the drawings, and is in this position engaged in a recess 22 between successive ratchet formations 21, the latter hold the clamp as adjusted. Upon swinging of the clamp to the horizontal position shown in dotted line in Fig. 5, the clamp 17 may be raised and lowered along the ratchet portion of leg 15. It is thus brought into snug, firmly engaging relation to the jaw and thereafter holds the device firmly in place without discomfort to the patient. A reverse manipulation is performed when it is desired to release and remove the device.

The arcuate buccal portion 13 and the upwardly extending bight portion 12 of the support or frame 11 have secured thereto, as by soldering or the like, the two loops, buccal and lingual, of a saliva aspirator tube structure 23. In the device illustrated the left hand or buccal loop is designated 24, while the inside or lingual loop is designated 25. The tubing 23 will preferably be of a comrnercially available brass or stainless steel tubing structure providing an inner drainage bore of, say, inch and an outer diameter of, say, X inch.

The buccal and lingual loops 24, 25 are similar in outline, being elongated in the direction of the length of the support portions 12, 13. The buccal loop 24 is constituted by a buccal branch or reach 26 integrally connected to a parallel, laterally spaced lingual branch or reach 27 by an inner or rearward bight 28; while the lingual loop 25 is made up of buccal branch or reach 29 similarly connected integrally to a lingual branch or reach 30 by an inner or rearward bight 31. While details may obviously be varied, the lingual branch 27 of the buccal aspect loop 24 is shown as terminating in a sealed end 32, soldered or otherwise secured to the support frame 11, with an opposed extension 33 of its buccal aspect branch 26 similarly secured to and brought forwardly on the arcuate support portion13. In the case of the lingual aspect loop 25 as shown, its buccal and lingual branches 29, 30 are each brought forwardly over the top of the lip bight 12 by integral extensions 34, 35 respectively. The aspirator tube extensions 33, 34, 35 are grouped and rigidly secured to one another, as by soldering or the like. At their free forward extremities, designated 36, the tube extensions are brought into a rigid aspirator tube 37, which is telescoped into a flexible vacuum tube 37, an air tight seal being made at the respective unions.

The reference number 38 designates an elongated impaling pin flexibly associated with each of the tube loops 24, as by soldering, to the support 11. The pins 38 are of substantial length and are sharpened at their outer ends, so as to receive and securely hold a predetermined length of an absorbent cotton gauze roll, such as illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 and designated by the reference numeral 39. tween the respective buccal and lingual branches of the respective buccal and lingual aspect loops 24, 25. The pins are in the general plane of the respective loops, but incline somewhat downwardly to the rear so that their pointed ends are readily accessible for the placement of the cotton gauze rolls 39. As positioned on the pin 38, the roll 39 bridges the loop branches at its top, and is located to lie along the gums of the jaw on either side of 'the latter, in a position to readily absorb saliva collecting in-theseareas.

Each pin 38 is centered in a longitudinal sense be- Aspirators apertures are formed in the buccal and lingual aspect loops 24, 25 in positions for the intake of saliva from the gauze roll 39 and/ or as collected in the oral cavity, without likelihood of being stopped up byeither the roll itself or the adjacent lip or cheek 40 and tongue 41 of the patient. That is, an aspirator aperture 42 is formed in the buccal aspect loop 24 adjacent the rear or inner end of its lingual branch or reach 27. This opening faces upwardly and inwardly or in the lingual direction, so that it is not likely to be engaged and blocked by the buccal aspect gum surface; and it is also out of the way of. the check. The other, lingual aspect loop 25 has an aspirator aperture 43 formed in its buccal branch, adjacent the inner or rear end loop 31, which aperture also faces upwardly and in the lingual direction so as not to be clogged by the lingual gum surface, nor by the tongue. Finally a third aspirator aperture 44 is formed in the lingual branch or reach 30 of the lingual aspect loop 25, also opening upwardly and in lingual direction to avoid being engaged by the tongue. Needless to say, all of the apertures 42, 43, and 44 are well out of the way of the cotton gauze roll 39 impaled on the associated pin 38.

It is believed that the mode of use of the device 10, as well as its advantages, will be apparent from the foregoing description, in the light of the drawings. A pair of the devices 10 are inexpensive and are an invaluable aid to a dentist in many instances in his day to day work. The cotton gauze rolls are properly positioned and held in place to best absorb accumulating saliva, and accumulated saliva is efliciently led away by the aspirator tube structure 23 to the flexible tube 37', which is connected with the usual vacuum source in the dentists operating quarters.

The device 10 is easily and quickly positioned in the patients mouth by loosening and dropping the jaw clamp 18. A small nib or projection 45 on the lateral foot 16 of the support leg 15 prevents loss of the clamp in this position. It is then brought upwardly against the patients jaw to engage the latter firmly and securely, whereupon the slot 20 of the clamp area 19 is engaged in a ratchet recess 22, as illustrated in solid line in Fig. 5 Free vertical movement of the clamp 18 along the leg 15 is possible by bringing the clamp to the horizontal position shown in dotted lines, enabling the slot to clear the leg and sliding up and down the same.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the combination saliva ejector and cotton roll holder in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An aspirator device to support an absorbent dental roll or the like, comprising apertured hollow tubing formed to provide laterally spaced buccal and lingual portions which are positionable in use adjacent the respective buccal and lingual tooth aspects of a patients lower jaw, said tubing having provision outwardly of the patients mouth for communication with a source of vacuum, and a jaw clamp operatively connected to said tubing, comprising an elongated ratchet element extending externally of the patients mouth and having a series of longitudinally spaced teeth, and a jaw engaging element of substantially integral, one-piece construction slidingly engaging said last named element and having releasable ratchet engagement with the same said jaw engaging element being provided with an apertured portion loosely receiving said ratchet element in said slid ing engagement, and being proportioned as to thickness at the apertured portion to be received between a pair of said teeth to efiect said ratchet engagement.

2. An aspirator device to support an absorbent dental roll or the like, comprising apertured hollow tubing formed to provide laterally spaced buccal and lingual loop portions which are positionable in use adjacent the respective buccal and lingual tooth aspects of a patients lower jaw, the loop portions being provided with entry apertures which open upwardly and in a generally lingual direction, said tubing having provision outwardly of the patients mouth for communication with a source of vacuum, and a jaw clamp operatively connected to said tubing, comprising an elongated ratchet element extending externally of the patients mouth and having a series of longitudinally spaced teeth, and a jaw engaging element of substantially integral, one-piece construction slidingly engaging said last named element and having releasable ratchet engagement with the same said jaw engaging element being provided with an apertured portion loosely receiving said ratchet element in said sliding engagement, and being proportioned as to thickness at the apertured portion to be received between a pair of said teeth to effect said ratchet engagement.

3. An aspirator device to support an absorbent dental roll or the like, comprising hollow tubing formed to 20 with an entry aperture at a rearward part of its lingual branch, said apertures opening upwardly of said respective branches and in a generally lingual direction, said tubing having provision for communication of said loops with a source of vacuum, and a jaw clamp operatively connected to said tubing, comprising an elongated ratchet element extending externally of the patients mouth and having a series of longitudinally spaced teeth, and a jaw engaging element of substantially intergal, one-piece construction slidably engaging said last named element and having releasable ratchet engagement with the same said jaw engaging element being provided with an apertured portion loosely receiving said ratchet element in said sliding engagement, and being proportioned as to thickness at the apertured portion to be received between a pair of said teeth to efiect said ratchet engagement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,507,938 Smith May 16, 1950 2,587,008 Stadelmann Feb. 26, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 120,653 Australia Jan. 10, 1931 836,522 France Oct. 17, 1938 

